Steam generator



Sept. ll, 1945.

J. A'. STANDING STILI GEIERATOR Filed June 14, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FI`G.5.

IN V EN TOR.

JAMES A STANDING l l l l l l l i l l l l l IBI ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 11, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEv ,STEAM GENERATOR James A. Standing, Detroit, Mich.

Application June 14, 1943, Serial No. 490,759

Claims.

The present invention relates to steam generators, specifically for house heating, although of much broader application.

Among the objects of the invention is a steam generator utilizing electric heating in a more eilicient manner than has been heretofore known. Another object is a generator designed specifically for electric heating and therefore capable of transferring more efficiently electrically generated heat to the contained water.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical central sectional view of a generator according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the top plate.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the upper side of the bottom plate.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view showing the heater arrangement and Figure 5 is a wiring diagram.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of an alternative form of circulator.

As indicated in the drawings, the generator may consist of a water container formed of the side walls II), bottom and top I2, suitably insulated as indicated at |3. While the sides, top and bottom may be permanently fixed together, as by welding, it is preferred to suitably groove the top and bottom as at I4 for the reception of the side walls and hold these parts together with a plurality of rods I5, suitable gaskets or other sealing means being used.

In the top plate I2, it is proposed to provide openings for the customary pressure gauge I6, steam outlet I1 and return I8, safety valve, and also a thermostatic regulator 20. The two openings for the Water coil 45 are also of course provided and the other opening shown may be used for a water inlet.

In the side wall may -be mounted a Water gauge I9, while at a suitable location may be placed the drain 50. The bottom plate II, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, will be provided with a series of openings arranged near the periphery and an equal number of openings 26 arranged in a group located centrally of the plate as clearly shown in Figure 3, and each of the openings 25 is connected to an opening 26 by a relatively small U- tube 21, located under the bottom plate II but opening to the inside of the water reservoir.

As shown, the bottom plate I I will be supported upon a hollow base divided by an horizontal partition 30 to form a heater chamber 3| and a lower chamber 32. In the chamber 3| will be placed a plurality of electric heaters 33 and 34 of which the heaters 33 may be distributed as indicated in Figure 4 and the heater 34 located in the center under the grouped inward ends of tubes 2l.

- These heaters 33 and 34 may be supplied with electric current from any .suitable source, but it is preferred to supply them with direct current, and at much lower voltage than is ordinarily available.

Accordingly, there is shown in Figure 1 a motor-generator combination 4|) located in the chamber 32, and protected from the heat developed by heaters 33 and 34 by a layer ofl insulation 4I. i

Since most house heating generators are used to heat water for other uses, a suitable water coil is shown at 45 as extending into the generator.

As indicated by the diagram of Figure 5, the current supply to heaters 33 is controlled by the thermostat 20 while the supply from the main supply line 4| to heater 34 may be controlled by a second thermostat 20A. 'Ihe reason for this arrangement is that the single central heater 34 will supply suicient heat to maintain usually the temperature of the water near the boiling point so that the heaters 33 are not necessary except when cold water is introduced or in first starting the generator. The heaters 33 will also cut in during extreme demands upon the heating system.

The thermostat 20 will be located in the space to be heated and starts and stops the motorgenerator in accordance with the demand for heat in said space.

The heat generator while intended primarily for space heating may also be used in mild or warm weather solely for water heating and in such use, the heaters 33 will be disconnected by means of a suitably located switch (not shown). The heater 34 will then automatically maintain the temperature of the water in the boiler I0 at thetemperature desired for heating coil 45.

It will be noted that the pipes 2l are only one form of circulator or percolator means that may be used to confine temporarily a small body of water for intense heating, as other such means may be used.

In Figure 6 is shown an alternative form `that presents advantages over the pipes in -that it among other things, admits of easy cleaning.

In this gure, the bottom II of the reservoir will be provided with tapped openings into which may be threaded a tube |21 of fairly large diameter provided with several internal lugs |28 near its bottom. Into the tube |2`| is inserted a smaller tube |29 with its lower end substantially flush with the bottom end 0f tube |21 and its upper end extending well up into the reservoir. This tube |29 will have its lower end flared as at |30 and serrated as at |3|, and will be limited in its upward movement by the lugs |28. A suitable cap will then be used to hold the two tubes in place.

While only one such alternative form of circulation is shown, it is obvious that a plurality of them may be used if desired and such is contemplated.

Now having described the invention and the preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that said invention is to be limited, not to the specic details herein set forth, but only by the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A steam generator for space heating consisting of a water reservoir, a heater chamber beneath said reservoir and containing heating means, said heating means being spaced from the bottom of said reservoir, and a plurality of radially arranged water circulation pipes open to said reservoir located in the space between said heating means and said bottom.

2. A steam generator for space heating consisting of a water reservoir, a heater1 chamber beneath said reservoir and containing heating means, said heating means being spaced from the bottom of said reservoir and a plurality of Water circulation pipes leading from near the periphery to near the center of said reservoir and passing through the space between the heating means and the bottom of the reservoir.

3. A steam generator for space heating consisting of a water .reservoir having a heater chamber below, electric heating means in said chamber and arranged in an annulus, a second electric heating means arranged centrally of said annulus, separate electric circuits for supplying current to the rst and second heating means and separate control means in said circuits and including thermostatic means, the thenmostatic means in the first circuit being adapted to be affected by the temperature of the space to be heated and that in the second circuit being adapted to be affected by the ltemperature of the water in said reservoir.

4. A steam generator for space heating consisting of a water reservoir, a heater chamber beneath said reservoir and containing heating means, said heating means being spaced from the bottom of said reservoir and a plurality of water circulation pipes leading from near the periphery to near the center of said reservoir and passing through the space between the heating means and the bottom of the reservoir, the outer ends of said pipes being substantially flush with the bottom of said reservoir While the inner ends extend upward a substantial distance from said bottom.

5. A steam generator for space heating consisting of a water reservoir, a heater chamber beneath said reservoir and containing heating means, said heating means being spaced from the bottom of said reservoir and a plurality of water circulation units including means for temporarily confining a small quantity of water adjacent a heating means whereby to subject said small quantity to intense heating, said units having their water inlets substantially ilush with the bottom of said reservoir and their discharge outlets a substantial distance above said bottom.

JAMES A. STANDING 

